Fine Gael board of trustees asked to review raft of resignations from party

Cork councillor Karen Coakley, who has resigned from Fine Gael, says she is 'appalled' that members who 'created these problems have not been reprimanded'

Karen Coakley: 'Negativity in Cork South-West, created by a few, is spreading like a toxic virus and it has damaged the party beyond repair.' File picture

The Fine Gael board of trustees is being asked to review a raft of resignations from the party in recent years to identify problems and issues that have forced people out.

It comes after Cork councillor Karen Coakley last week resigned amid claims of "skulduggery", "bullying", and efforts to "undermine" her during the 2020 general election campaign.

Announcing she would be leaving the party with immediate effect, Ms Coakley told a constituency meeting she was "appalled" that the members who "created these problems have not been reprimanded to date and were allowed to renew their membership without question".

Senator Regina Doherty has called on the party to carry out a full investigation into the reasons behind Ms Coakley's resignation as well as all other local representatives who have left Fine Gael.

She is writing to the board of trustees to ask for an overhaul of party policy relating to claims of bullying and other unacceptable behaviour.

"I asked for a review of every single person who has resigned from a council, or as an area rep for the party over the last five years and the reasons for those resignations to be investigated because I will tell you they are probably very similar," she said.

It's not a small problem, we've also lost a significant number of councillors under the age of 30. So not only are we losing women, we are losing young people.

Responding to Ms Coakley's resignation, a Fine Gael spokesperson said there had been "considerable engagement" with her since 2020 and she had been "made aware of the party's disciplinary process".

The spokesperson added that no complaint had been made to the party by Ms Coakley.

Ms Doherty raised serious concerns at a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party last week, hitting out at those in the party who "trot out the line that we have a policy and they didn't receive any written complaints".

She said all issues involving members of the party should be investigated regardless of how they are received.

"We keep trotting out this line that we have a policy, it's nearly like it's their fault that they didn't engage properly with the policy. Well, I'm sorry, I don't care if we have a policy and if we keep losing people then there is something wrong with our policy or the way we're interacting with complaints in whatever form they are being made," she told the Irish Examiner.

In announcing her resignation, Ms Coakley also cited another Fine Gael councillor, Katie Murphy, who stepped down from her position on Cork County Council late last year.

She claimed Ms Murphy had been bullied and intimidated “to the point that her spirit and passion were broken — and for the sake of her wellbeing, she was left with no other option but to resign as a councillor".

Ms Coakley added that the "negativity in Cork South-West, created by a few, is spreading like a toxic virus and it has damaged the party beyond repair".